Murray @ Wimbledon .. frustrating

Just a few observations thus far. It seems as if Nadal going out has made him very nervous and he's going back into retreat 'let the other player make an error' approach, which if he comes up against a Del Potro, is a worrying prospect. All that work he put in over the Clay Season of hitting the ball very hard with the forehand, seems to have to waste... although there's glimpses that under extreme pressure, he's forced to go very attacking and thats when his best tennis comes out.

Balance between slice and double-fister... in the french, I felt he was overusing the drive backhand and with his 'back' being the way it was, he was hitting alot of unforced errors and also in the Ferrer match, failing to mix it up and not playing with the variety we associated with Murray at his best. That said, I feel in order to compensate against this, Murray at Wimbledon thus far has gone to the other extreme, slicing a heck of alot and failing to be aggressive with his backhand, prolonging points unnecessarily and utilising what is his strongest shot period.

Is it really that hard to employ a strategy where he's aggressive on most shots, but when he wants to mix it up, then slice for abit and then when theres a clear opening to attack, smash the ball for a winner. He really needs to look closer at Djokovic's style of play and seek to emulate it, at the moment he looks a tad lost.. the weapons are there imo (which weren't there before pre Lendl) but I think he needs more direction as to how to use em.

This is hardly a surprise, anyone who knows Muzza knows this is his natural game, and it would be very hard for him to be aggressive.

He's not suddenly going to change his mentality, which is to counterpunch. Muzza plays most risky and aggressive with his back against the wall, so ironically its better for him to be down against a top player, and then he can really fight back.

Taking into consideration all of the deficiencies of Murray's game, there is really no reason to worry about him reaching the final. Del Potro is definately not a threat on grass. He is playing possibly the most dangerous player left on his side of the draw and he has made a very positive start (result wise). What more could his supporters wish for?

It would be the shock of a lifetime if Murray wins Wimbledon. This is the least likely event for him. He isn't a clutch player, and this is a pressure-cooker atmosphere. He's not even clutch enough in the other slams, let alone Wimbledon. He doesn't attack at the slams when the opportunities arise. Tsonga is down a set in 4th round, but if he gets through that he'll probably end up beating Murray in the semi.

It would be the shock of a lifetime if Murray wins Wimbledon. This is the least likely event for him. He isn't a clutch player, and this is a pressure-cooker atmosphere. He's not even clutch enough in the other slams, let alone Wimbledon. He doesn't attack at the slams when the opportunities arise. Tsonga is down a set in 4th round, but if he gets through that he'll probably end up beating Murray in the semi.[/QUOTE]

Like he did in the QFs @ Wimby a couple of years ago? Or last year's Queen's final?

Murray is 5-1 v Jo (2-0 on grass), hasn't lost to him since January 2008 and has won their last 4.

Like he did in the QFs @ Wimby a couple of years ago? Or last year's Queen's final?

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Tsonga only had enough in the tank to compete meaningfully for half the match in 2010, so who knows how that would have gone if he'd been in better shape. Not to mention the fact that Jo was off the tour for more than 3 months after that match. And he outplayed Murray for two sets in that Queens final (by Andy's own admission), and almost won 6-3 6-4. Forecasting a Tsonga SF win is hardly a daring prediction for anyone who saw the Baghdatis match, even if Murray has upped his game in R16.

Nevertheless, one of them isn't getting to the last four at this rate.

Tsonga only had enough in the tank to compete meaningfully for half the match in 2010, so who knows how that would have gone if he'd been in better shape. Not to mention the fact that Jo was off the tour for more than 3 months after that match. And he outplayed Murray for two sets in that Queens final (by Andy's own admission), and almost won 6-3 6-4. Forecasting a Tsonga SF win is hardly a daring prediction for anyone who saw the Baghdatis match, even if Murray has upped his game in R16.

Nevertheless, one of them isn't getting to the last four at this rate.

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I'm not saying Jo wouldn't have a chance - he'd have a great chance, but favourite? Please. Also, are you not extrapolating quite a lot from one match v Baggy? Why is that the gauge of Murray's chances rather than the Davydenko match?

I'm not saying Jo wouldn't have a chance - he'd have a great chance, but favourite? Please. Also, are you not extrapolating quite a lot from one match v Baggy? Why is that the gauge of Murray's chances rather than the Davydenko match?

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For me, it'd be a 50/50 match, although it's looking like an increasingly hypothetical SF anyway. The R32 wasn't definitively indicative of anything, but after such a display of vulnerability there's no guarantee it won't resurface again.